Railway-signal.



J. R. WILSON. RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, I914- 1,177,753.Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG. 1

% N wrxw INVENTOR WITNESSES gx'W THE. COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH co,WASHING-TON, D. C.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1914.

Patented Apr 4, 1916.

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a: v INVENTOR m. C

WITNESSES K 1H5 mum! PLANocRAPfl to. WASHINGTON, u. c.

.onirnn PATENT FFICE.

JOHN wILsoN, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ,nssienon TO THE UNION SWITCH& SIGNAL COMPANY, or ,SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A conronn'rron or PENN-SYLVANIA.

RAILWAY SIGNA L.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Apr. 4,191

ppl tion led, May 20 9 S a No- 3 ,666-

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, Jo rN R. WrnsoN a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new andcuseful Improvements inBailway-Signals, of which the following is a Specification.

My invention relates to railway signals, and particularly to signals ofthe typeco nprising a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, and a holding device for holding thesignal in the'latter position against the action of the biasing force.

I will describe one form of signal embodying my invention, and will thenpoint out the novel features. thereof in claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure l is a view showing inverticalsection a portion of one form of signal mechanismein bodying myinvention. F 2 is a partial end view of the mechanismshown in Fig. .1,the cover 6 being removed. F ig 3 is a sectional view on the planeindicated by line IIIIII in Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a fragmental sectional viewon the plane indicated by line IVIV in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is adiagrammaticview showing one arrangement of controlling circuits andapparatus for asignal embodying my invention.

Similar referencev characters refer to similar parts in each of theviews.

Referring first to Fig. l, the reference character 37 designates acylindrical inclosing case provided with a removable head 37. A spindle15 is journaledin ballrbearings 1 and 1 in the case and headrespectively, and is operatively connected by "suitable gearing as shownmore fully in Fig. 5 with a semaphore S, which is baised by gravity to ahorizontal or danger position. The gearing between the spindle 15 andthe semaphore S inayfor example be similar to that shown in anapplication filed by John D. Taylor on August 28, 1912, Serial No.717,436. Mounted inthe case 37 is an electric motor M which isoperatively connected with the spindle 15 by means of a ratchet device Band whichrnotor is em:

ploy d t o e e semaphore from its danger or horizontal position upwardlytoaninclined or caution position and to a vertical or clear position.Also mounted in the case 37 is a holding, device H which is employed tohold the semaphore in the caution and the clear position against theaction of gravity. Referring to both Figs.

1 and 3, this device comprises a stator 29 fixed in the case 37, and arotor 48 operatively connected with the spindle 15. The stator is formedof a plurality of laminatiOns ofsoft ironv clamped together by rivets 29and fixed in place in the case -,37 by screws 29%. This stator isprovided .with a plurality of equally spaced inwardly projectingpolesl50, here shown as being eight in number, upon which poles isplaced an 1 energizing winding 31 so arranged that the polarity of thepoles is alternately north and south. At such times as the holdingdevice is'to hold the signal this winding is energized from a source ofalternating current, as will hereinafter appear. The rotor 48 is formedof a plurality of softiron laminations having. embedded therein aplurality of copper rods 52, preferably eightin numher and equallyspaced, which rods are electrically connected by copper end rings 30.The rods 52 are fixed securely in the end rings 30 so that they serve asrivets to bind these rings and the laminations together. 7

This rotor is carried by a spider comprising radialarms 12 and abackplate 12 This spider .is mounted ,;freely von the spindle l5 andisoperatively connected therewith by an arm'54 which is secured to thespindleby a pinlil and which projects between twolngs 53spaced a Slightdistance aparton the back quired to movethe rotor from this position,

and the required force increases to a considerable value as the rodsapproach the edges of the poles.

It has been found in practice that if the holding winding 31 isenergized and the motor M deenergized when the signal reaches thecaution position, so that the holding device is energized while therotor 48 is still moving due to momentum of the parts, theelectromagnetic forces in the holding device H tend to cause this deviceto act as an induction motor to continue the movement of the signalbeyond the caution position. This action could be avoided by opening themotor circuit at such point in the movement of the signal that thesignal would come to rest at precisely the caution position,and closingthe circuit for winding 31 at precisely the moment when the signalreaches the caution position, but such delicacy of control has beenfound to be difficult in actual practice under variable conditions. Toavoid the necessity for such delicacy of control, I provide means forkeeping the holding device deenergized while the signal is moving awayfrom the danger position, and for energizing the holding device just asthe signal starts to return toward the danger position under theinfluence of gravity, which means I will now explain. 7

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the spindle 15 is extended beyond the head37*, and carries an arm 2 of insulating material which is frictionallymounted on the spindle. The spindle is provided with a shoulder 15against which rests a washer l3, and next to this washer is a flangedsleeve 14 which rides freely on the shaft and which carries the arm 2.The arm may be placed on this sleeve by first forming the sleeve withonly one flange, forcing the arm on the sleeve, and then spinning up theother flange against the face of the arm. The arm is rigidly fixed tothis sleeve 14. Next to the sleeve 14 is a washer 16 which is providedwith an inwardly projecting tongue 20 which fits in a groove 20 in thespindle as shown in Fig. 4, so thatthis washer is constrained to rotatewith the spindle. The washers 13 and 16 and. the sleeve 14 are pressedtogether and against shoulder 15 by a spring 17 which bears againstwasher 16 and also against a nut 18 screwed on the threaded end of thespindle. The friction between the spindle and the arm 2 can be adjustedby turning nut 18, and the nut is then locked in the desired position bya pin 19 extending through saw-cuts in the nut and a slot in thespindle. The arm 2 is constrained to oscillation through a small angleby stops 3 and 3 in the form of screws which are supported in the wallsof a box 6 formed integral with the head 37 It will be seen that becauseof the friction between the spindle 15 and arm 2, the latter will restagainst one stop or the other according as the spindle rotates in onedirection or the other, and that the arm will swing over immediatelyupon a reversal of direction of rotation of the spindle. Fixed to theend of arm 2 by means of a screw 7 is a contact plate 4 which cooperateswith a contact finger 5 carried by a terminal post 9 which is mountedin'a wall of box 6. The contact plate 4 is electrically connected withanother terminal post 10 by a flexible conductor 8. Contact members 4and 5 are so arranged that thiscontact is oven when arm 2 is againststop 3, and closed when the arm is against stop 3 that is, this contactis open while the signal is being moved away from danger position, andclosed while the signal is moving toward danger position. This contact45 is included in the circuit for holding winding 31, as 1 will nowexplain.

Referring to Fig. 5, the semaphore S is mounted on a shaft 56 which isconnected by gears 47 and 47, with a shaft 51 which carries contactsegments 23, 24 and 25; and shaft 51 is connected by gears 49 and 49with the spindle 15 on which are mounted the rotating member of motor Mand the rotor 48 of the holding device H. The ratio of gears 47 and 47is such that shaft 51 r0- tates three times as fast as the semaphoreshaft 56. Alternating current is supplied to the motor and the holdingdevice from a transformer T, and this supply is controlled by a relay R,contacts 24, 25 and 26, and contact 4-5. Relay R is of a polarized type,comprising a neutral armature contact 21 and a polarized armaturecontact 22. WVhen the relay .R is energized in such direction that itsneutral armature 21 closes and its polarized armature 22 remains in theposition shown in the drawing, the motor M is energized by the followingcircuit: from secondary of transformer T, through wire 33, contact 21,contact 22, wire 34, contact 27 2427"*, wire 35, resistance 57 andreactance 58 in multiple, wires 36 and 38 in multiple, motor windings 54and 55 in multiple, wires 39 and 40 to transformer T. The motor M thenoperates to move the semaphore S in the direction of the arrow, that is,away from the danger position. During this movement arm 2 is swung insuch direction that contact 4--5 is opened, but during the greater partof the movement to the caution position this contact has no influence onthe holding device H because the circuit for winding 31 is open atcontacts 28 and 32. Just before the caution position is reached contactsegment 25 bridges contact fingers 28 and 28 and segment 24 leavesfinger 27 so that the motor is deenergized and the circuit for theholding winding 31 is closed at segment 25. The circuit for winding 31-is the same as the motor circuit up to and including wire 34 thenthrough contact 28-,

25-28, wire 41, contact 5-4, wire 42, winding 31, wires 59 and to thetransformer T. This circuit is open at contact 54 so that the mechanismdrifts until the momentum is overcome by friction and by the action ofgravity on semaphore S at which time the semaphore stops and begins toreturn toward the danger position. Just as this return movement begins,arm 2 is swung to the opposite position, thereby closing contact 45 sothat the holding device H is then energized and holds the signal in thecaution position. It will be noted that this holding device does notbecome energized until its rotor member 48 is substantially at rest, sothat the device has no tendency to act as a motor. Owing to the lostmotion between the rotor 48 and the spindle 15, as soon as winding 31 isenergized the rotor locates itself with its bars substantially oppositethe middle points of the stator poles, hence there is no danger of therotor being carried beyond such position by the inertia of the movingparts. If now relay 20 is energized in the opposite direction, therebycausing reversal of contact 22, the circuit for winding 31 is opened andthe motor is again energized through a circuit which is the same asbefore up to and including contact 22-, thenthrough wire 43, contact 2623-26 wires 44 and 35, then through windings 57 and 58, and motorwindings 54 and 55 as before. The motor then operates to drive thesemaphore S toward the clear position and just as the latter position isreached, segment 23 leaves finger 26, thereby denergizing the motor andsegment 25 bridges fingers 32 and 32 thereby closing at this point thecircuit for winding 31. During the movement from caution to clear, thearm 2 was in such position that the contact 45 was open, but after thesignal comes to rest in the clear position and just as it starts toreturn toward danger arm 2 is swung to close contact 4-5 so that theholding device H is then energized and holds the parts in the clearposition. As soon as wind ing 31 is energized, the rotor 48 again 10-cates itself as hereinbefore explained.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of signalingmechanism embodying my invention, it is understood that various changesand modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, a holding device for holding thesignal in the latter position and comprising ;a rotor operativelyconnected witlrthe signal and a stator having an energizing winding, acontact for controlling said winding, and means controlled by the signalfor holding said contact open while thesignal is being moved away fromthe biased position and for closing said contact when the signal startsto return toward the biased position.

2. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, a holding device for holding thesignal in the latter position and comprising a rotor operativelyconnected with the signal and a stator having an energizing winding, andmeans controlled by the signal for de'e'nergizing said winding while thesignal is being moved away from the biased position and for energizingsaid winding when the signal starts to return toward the biasedposition.

3. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, a holding device for holding thesignal in the latter position and comprising a rotor operativelyconnected with the signal and a stator having an energizing winding, acontact for controlling said winding, and frictional means interposedbetween the signal and the contact for holding the contact open whilethe signal is being moved away from its biased position and for closingthe contact when the signal starts to return toward the biased position.

4. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication andmovable to another position in opposition to the biasing force, aspindle operatively connected with the signal to rotate therewith, anarm frictionally mounted on said spindle to be swung in one direction orthe other according as the spindle is rotating in one direction or theother, a contact controlled by said arm and arranged to be open orclosed according as the arm is swung in one direction or the other, anda holding device for holding the signalin the second-mentioned positionand comprising a rotor operatively connected with the signal and astator having an energizing winding controlled by said contact.

5. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, a holding device for holding thesignal in the latter position and comprising an energizing winding, andmeans controlled by the signal for deenergizing said winding while thesignal is being moved away from the biased position and for energizingsaid winding when the signal starts to return toward the biasedposition.

6. In combination, a signal biased to one position of indication, meansfor moving it to another position, a holding device for holding thesignal in the latter position and comprising a fixed stator having anenergizing winding and a rotor operatively connected with the signal butcapable of oscillation through a small angle with relation thereto, andmeans controlled by the signal for keeping said winding deenergizedwhile the signal is being moved away from the Copies of this patent maybe obtained for biased position and for energizing said 19 winding justas the signal-starts to return toward the biased position.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. WILSON. Witnesses A. HERMAN WEGNER, R. L. KIsTLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington,D. G.

